Lucius had no idea if his calm facade was working. What in the fucking Waste was wrong with the child? How would he respond to that? A small boy was in a successful process of blackmailing him mere minutes after their introduction, and Lucius was supposed to counter it?

"Such a threat is counterproductive to your earlier wishes," Anthony came to Lucius' aid with a strict demeanour, clearly unamused. "And might I add, quite unbecoming of someone with your title."

Lucius quietly joined in with a disapproving shake of his head.

"Well, it's just a suggestion," Frey said and to Lucius' terror his smile returned in an instant, radiant enough to suggest it'd never left his lips at all, and he cheerfully went back to swinging with his legs. "But I would rather help you, you know."

Anthony turned to Lucius now with a look of defeat. It was hard to blame him. Even Lucius found it hard to just up and murder a child even with his reputation being threatened, so what could they do?

He let out a deep sigh, turning to Frey with a look of unbridled disdain.

"Well then, what would you get out of this?"

Frey glanced in Anthony's direction.

"... You know what? I'd like to discuss things in private."

Anthony did not look pleased, but he seemed to conclude that Frey was unarmed and not an immediate threat, so he only bowed his head with a poorly hidden scowl before leaving the room.

Lucius looked after him as he walked, wishing he wouldn't have to face the two-faced imp alone, but refused to let it show.

So he cleared his throat.

"Well then, Lordling..." He gestured to Frey. "... Let's hear it."

"With pleasure." Frey jumped down from the desk to face Lucius more directly. "I want Lucia to start keeping an eye on the trade between South and West Kerilia, and make certain it all goes as it should."

Lucius raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what Lord Hargreaves is for? He's a toesucking Scourgefucker but he is in charge of most of the trade." He turned to look at the door. "Even your father trusts him to mentor you in that field. Why he'd shove you off to such a person— Sorry, vulture, is beyond me, but it certainly isn't for his personality."

Frey raised both his eyebrows in return, letting out an amused chuckle.

"I gather you were not lying about not wanting to marry him."

"I have a number of reasons," Lucius said dryly, and frowned at the smiling boy. "Also, you don't have to keep that cute little act of yours up. I think we're past that."

Frey pursed his lips, shaking his head as if Lucius was being silly.

"People like it."

"Not everyone."

"I know it does," Frey insisted, drumming his fingers against his arm. "I've studied people around my family, and they want cheerfulness and smiles."

Lucius frowned at the supposed fact, uncertain why it irked him, but if the boy was there to be educated he might as well contribute with what little social advice he had.

"Even so, you can't assume everyone's the same. Perhaps those superficial anglers like the act, but--"

"That's not what we were going to talk about anyway," Frey interrupted him, forcing his drumming hand down. "Let's go back to the trade."

Lucius shrugged, but obeyed.

"Fair enough, but I don't understand why you need Lucia. South and West Kerilia are on good terms, aren't they? Trade seems to work well enough."

"'Well enough' is not well, though." Frey's nose scrunched up, and he let go of his smile a little. "Things don't add up. We don't really think it's Lord Hargreaves' fault, but somewhere along the steps, we lose money that we should not."

Lucius clicked his tongue, giving the rich boy's combed, blond hair and unblemished skin a judging look.

"West Kerilia's the wealthiest town in Kerilia. Even if you lose some money I'm certain your family won't suffer in the slightest."

"But others will, and it bothers my father to no end." A frown appeared on Frey's forehead and Lucius noticed his hands opening and closing repeatedly before being forced to stop. "A wealthy town is not wealthy if one family holds all the money."

Lucius did another scan of the boy's appearance.

"I'm, uh... Pretty sure you're using a lot more money than the average person though."

"But we spend it," Frey said, slowly as if Lucius was missing the point. "Our money goes back to the rest of the town before coming back to us. Unlike here, where people of our class keep money to themselves for no reason but owning a lot of it."

"So your father doesn't actually keep the money?" Lucius frowned, feeling about as dumb as Frey seemed to think he was.

"Why would he?" Frey narrowed his eyes. "He gets it back later as payment for managing everything, and then he spends it on businesses in the town so they earn money, and then they spend it, and on and on, until it comes back."

The prejudice Lucius had felt against the child, or rather the boy's father, faded, and delight grew in its place.

"Is your father married?" he had to ask, eyes wide from shock and admiration. "Because he sounds like an infinitely better option than Lord Hargreaves."

It was Frey's turn to look Lucius up and down, and his mouth twitched.

"Happily married to my mother, who is most definitely a better option than Lady Cromwell."

Lucius concluded that his feelings about the child would be a turbulent journey.

"And if I don't agree?" he asked, still in denial that he had to put his faith in a deceitful cheese puff. "You're going to tell everyone about Lucia?"

"I don't see what you have to lose." Frey folded his arms. "You get to inconvenience Lord Hargreaves, you keep your identity safe, and your reputation will improve. Getting along with my father and running a proper trade with West Kerilia can do you nothing but good."

He wasn't wrong, Lucius supposed, but he had no interest in praising the brat too much.

"Well, as long as you don't cause me trouble," he relented with an exaggerated sigh. "I doubt someone like you can change how people see me though."

Frey's nose wrinkled in annoyance.

"I don't need your trust. You just let me take care of my part, and you take care of yours."

"Right...." Lucius made a face. "Well, I suppose I've made worse deals in the past."

"Oh I don't doubt it," Frey said, his charming yet infuriating smile returning, and Lucius drew a calming breath through his nose.

A knock on the door signalled that their conversation was over, but at least Lord Clausson had manners enough to wait a while before opening the door.

"The younger Lord Hargreaves told me you were here," he said to Frey, who instantly joined his father's side with a delighted grin. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

Lucius had no idea if it was a real smile or not. It sure seemed that way, but as it had turned out, the bastard was exceptional at pretending.

"I was asking Mr. Cromwell how he likes it here, since he's only just begun." Frey gestured to Lucius, who played along with a forced beam.

"Good initiative," Claus encouraged him with an arm around his shoulder, and Frey's hands opened and closed again as he received the praise.

"I'm happy to help," Lucius added, finding many reasons to stay on the Claussons' good side. "It's really no trouble."

"Of course not, my son's a delight," Claus replied, giving Lucius a pleasant, yet somewhat judging, smile in return. "Unfortunately, you will have to continue your discussion another day. It's almost lunchtime and we need to be on our way soon after."

"Is it salmon?" Frey asked with hope in his voice as they turned around, and his father chuckled.

"I gave the cook our request an hour ago, and it's a fishing town. It would be ridiculous if not."

Lucius supposed that kind of pampered excitement could be genuine at least, and he shook his head while no one saw.

"Until next time, Mr. Cromwell," Lord Clausson said with a nod in Lucius' direction before turning to his son again with a lower voice. "And mind your hands, Frey."

Frey balled his fists, letting them fall to the side, and Lucius raised an eyebrow as the door closed only to raise the other one as well when Anthony opened it soon after.

"How did it go?" he asked, looking over his shoulder before closing the door. "I hope his father didn't put him up to this."

"No," Lucius muttered under his breath. "No, I was definitely blackmailed by a twelve-year old."

"I know he's not acting like most children, or so I've heard," Anthony said, grimacing in support of Lucius' dismay. "Damien told me he spends most of his time with his father and other adults in his presence, studying and mimicking their behaviour instead of developing his own."

"How precious." Lucius forced a smile with gritted teeth. "I'm sure he's going to be a fucking delight to deal with when he grows up."

"Should make you feel better that Damien will be stuck mentoring him from time to time for years then."

Indeed, Lucius had to smirk at the thought.

"I'd really want to be around to see that."

"Well... I for one assume you will be." Anthony shrugged nonchalantly, but the concern in his eyes betrayed him. "I doubt we can trust young Lord Clausson to sabotage any weddings, but we can still try to think of something on our own, right?"

Lucius released a deep sigh.

"It won't matter anyway if nothing changes." He pressed his hands against his chest. "Not until we get rid of whatever this disgraceful labyrinth for undead ants has got going on under my shirt."

"And that is why we're going to see Cyril." Anthony gently placed a hand on Lucius'. "That should be our main priority."

"You're probably right," Lucius relented, unable to resist the comforting hand. "But honestly, the difference between marrying Damien and uprooting infernal weeds from my flesh is very tiny, just so you know."

"If it makes any difference, he was a good husband back in the day." Anthony's smile was bittersweet, and Lucius scoffed while shaking his head.

"Not in the slightest."

"Anthony!" Damien's voice suddenly called out, and Anthony gave Lucius a troubled look, but gestured for both of them to go.

What followed was a staring contest Lucius begrudgingly accepted he was about to lose. Even with Anthony there as support there just was no winning with Damien when it came down to withering stares, and by Dyris did the man spare no wither.

"I know you have his location," Anthony urged him after giving a brief explanation of their goal. "He'd be the one to know what happened at that sanctuary."

Damien didn't take his eyes off Lucius, apparently suspecting him to be the source of the request.

"So to be clear, you pester me on multiple occasions to join, then you disappear without a trace, and now you're coming here to ask me for a favour like that?" Damien's voice matched his eyes, but Lucius drew a silent breath, preparing to retaliate.

"You didn't ask for him," Anthony said instead before Lucius got the chance to speak. "I said I would personally relay any time you wanted to send for him, remember?"

"I do not," Damien replied coldly, but he seemed to leave it at that. "Either way, I highly value Cyril's whereabouts, and I have no desire to let nosy little grunts cause him to move again."

"Don't you care about why a fucking sanctuary fell to pieces?" Lucius, of all people, decided to play the religious card. "A holy building collapsed, people died inside it, and you don't care at all? And you think your family should run the town?"

"I will look into it, of course." Damien glanced over at Anthony as well. "Additionally, Anthony, I would prefer you to not involve him in matters like these. The less a mortal like him knows, the better."

"But I want to know," Anthony tried. "And if you do as well, why can't we ask Cyril?"

"Because I will have the BBT investigate it already, and Cyril needs to stay where he is until we really need him."

"We could already be in danger for all we know." Anthony threw his hands out. "What if something is spreading? Or if there's some unholy being stirring up trouble at the holy grounds somehow."

"While your unusual enthusiasm is concerning, I have already said no." Damien turned his attention away as if the conversation was over, and Anthony sucked in a deep breath.

"I suppose I will go to Catherine then."

Damien's eyes snapped back to look at his son, harsh stare fading to give way for exasperation.

"There is absolutely no reason to involve her in this, and you know that."

"Well, it's Cyril or Catherine," Anthony promptly insisted. "And I think we both know which option is better.

Damien's nose scrunched up in a grimace.

"Why would you go that far?" His forehead wrinkled in what looked like genuine confusion. Then his gaze wandered back to Lucius. A gaze devastating enough to make Lucius wonder what the Scourge would do if someone had already obliterated his soul before it could be collected.

"Because it concerns the town I live in." Anthony gave his father an amused look, though not entirely convincing. "Am I not allowed to care?"

"Depends," Damien said absentmindedly, glare still fixed on Lucius. "But if you're that set on it, I have no choice, do I?"

"Not unless you've stocked up on a year's worth of wine," Anthony said with triumph on his lips, but any expression in Damien's face had died, and he only sighed before opening a drawer in his desk.

"Very well."